Lygodesmia juncea (Pursh) D. Don ex Hook.
rushlike skeleton-plant (rush skeletonplant)
Asteraceae (Aster family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
rushlike skeleton-plant (rush skeletonplant)
Asteraceae (Aster family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Perennial herb from a creeping rhizome; stems erect or ascending, branched, marked with grooves, exuding milky juice when broken, 15-60 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves alternate, linear, 0.5-4 cm long, 1-3 mm wide, upper ones reduced to minute scales.
Flowers:
Heads with strap-shaped flowers, solitary at ends of branches; involucres 9-16 mm tall; involucral bracts of two types, the inner ones narrowly oblanceolate, 4-8 (usually 5), the outer ones reduced and bractlike; ray flowers pink or rarely white.
Fruits:
Achenes spindle-shaped, several-nerved, 6-7 mm long; pappus of numerous white, hairlike bristles.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia